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Andrew Marshall

Eden Hazard v Nemanja Matic: The key battle in the FA Cup final

Last Updated: 19/05/18 5:09pm

Eden Hazard versus Nemanja Matic is the key battle in the FA Cup final

The 2018 FA Cup final takes place between Chelsea and Manchester United on Saturday with both sides looking to secure their first silverware this season. A win for United would see them equal Arsenal's record of 13 FA Cup final victories while a win for Chelsea would be their eighth overall and fifth in the last 12 seasons.

If Chelsea are to win Eden Hazard is likely to have an influential role in a midfield battle against his old team-mate Nemanja Matic. The pair spent three-and-a-half years together at Stamford Bridge between January 2014 and July 2017 before Matic departed for Old Trafford.

Eden Hazard's goal involvement

Season

Goals

Assists

Total

Mins per involvement

2012/13

13

19

32

141

2013/14

17

8

25

158

2014/15

19

11

30

148

2015/16

6

7

13

237

2016/17

17

7

24

140

2017/18

16

12

28

130

In all competitions this season Hazard leads Chelsea in goals (16) and assists (12) and has the best minutes-per-goal involvement (every 130 mins) in any of his six seasons at the club.

If United are to contain Hazard, Matic is likely to play a key role against his former side. In the first season since his £40m move, Matic has been one of the first names on Jose Mourinho's team-sheet. No player has made more starts for the club this season.

Nemanja Matic in 2017/18

Category

Total

Man Utd rank

Passes

2601

1st

Successful passes

2281

1st

Passes in opposition third

1358

1st

Passes into final third

333

1st

Touches

3117

1st

Recoveries

317

1st

Tackles

70

1st

Interceptions

64

1st

Distance covered

409 km

1st

In the Premier League, Matic topped the charts for Manchester United in a number of statistical categories, making more passes, having more touches and running further than any of his team-mates.

One category where Matic particularly excels is ball recoveries. Of outfield players in the Premier League this season only Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure (345) made more ball recoveries, while since his return to English football with Chelsea in 2014 he has made more ball recoveries than any other outfield player.

Since Nemanja Matic's return in January 2014

Player

Ball recoveries

Nemanja Matic

1228

Mark Noble

970

N'Golo Kante

913

Gareth Barry

897

Steven Davis

886

As both teams look to avoid a season without silverware, the battle between Hazard and Matic could go a long way to deciding the destiny of the trophy.

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